


Like Always

by cheapdate



Category: K-pop, Produce X 101 - Fandom, X1 (Korea Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Bromance, College AU, Confessions, Drunken Confessions, Fluff, M/M, sweet sweet friendships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-08
Updated: 2019-10-08
Packaged: 2020-11-27 23:14:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20956505
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cheapdate/pseuds/cheapdate
Summary: Wooseok and Seungyoun have been friends for a long time, but after a drunk confession, Wooseok wonders what happens next.





	Like Always

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Yul with the prompt "a Seungseok AU fic where Seungyoun confesses to Wooseok drunk at a friends gathering then forgets about it the next day. "
> 
> Thank you for the inspo! I hope you enjoy it!!

Wooseok doesn’t want to be here. It’s loud and crowded and he’s tired. The beer is cheap and the air is hot and stuffy. He can probably list 100 different things he could be doing with his time that would be more valuable and fulfilling. And yet, here he is - sitting on a stranger’s bed, squished between Yohan and Seungyoun as they compete in an extremely heated battle of Mario Kart. He sighs as Yohan yanks the controller to the side, knocking into the red Solo cup he’s clutching. The watery beer sloshes up over the rim and splatters down onto his jeans. Wooseok grits his teeth, takes a deep breath and then unexpectedly announces, “I’ve got next game. Amateur hour is over, kids.” From their places sprawled out on the carpeted floor, Hangyul and Seungwoo clap and laugh, noisily whooping it up. The volume level in the room seems to rise, impossibly.

Despite the fact that this is most definitely not his scene and a migraine is beginning to form near his temples, Wooseok can’t help but admit that he’d be slightly disappointed if he missed this. Not the entire party, per say, but this particular moment. Somehow, as usual, he and his friends have managed to tuck away into an empty bedroom, separating themselves from the rest of the raucous house party. It’s something that seems to happen often. They all always gravitate towards each other without intending to, as though connected by some soft of invisible string that’s constantly pulling them together. In an ideal situation, this little gathering would’ve happened back in the comfort of their own dorms and not at some gross, dilapidated frat house, but here they are. Wooseok supposes a change of scenery can be nice sometimes. Maybe.

An hour later and Wooseok’s fingers are starting to cramp. One by one, he’s defeated every person in the room; some of them more than once. Seungwoo has already gone downstairs three times for drinks and is currently in the process of making a fourth run. Hangyul is missing, having hopped up from the floor to stumble his way to the bathroom. Yohan is curled up on a small piece of the bed against the wall, having passed out three matches ago. Wooseok and Seungyoun sit side by side on the mattress, faces flush and warm with inebriation.

“One more match,” Seungyoun slurs, holding up his controller. “Just one more.”

“You said that three matches ago. Just face it. I’m better than you.”

“You’re just less drunk!” Seungyoun protests. “I’m at a disadvantage because I can’t see straight and the track is blurry!”

“You’re at a disadvantage because you suck at Mario Kart.”

Seungyoun sighs and tosses the controller onto the floor.

“I don’t suck at Mario Kart,” he grumbles under his breath.

Wooseok looks down into his empty cup and then over at Yohan. He’s not looking forward to the long walk back to the dorms. Just the thought of having to navigate a drunk, half-conscious Yohan through campus at 3 in the morning makes him feel intensely exhausted. But the alternative of crashing here for the night is significantly worse.

“We should go soon,” Wooseok says, rubbing at his eyes.

“Where? After party at your dorm?” Seungyoun perks up and bounces up and down on the bed, knocking his shoulder into Wooseok’s.

“Absolutely not.”

“Oh, come on!”

“No.”

“Please?”

“Go back to Seungwoo’s dorm if you want an after party. I’m going to sleep.”

“But, I want to go to _ your _dorm.”

“Why?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

Up until now, their familiar back and forth banter has been mindless and Wooseok’s attention is mostly preoccupied with how to gently wake Yohan. But something about the serious tone of Seungyoun’s heavily slurred voice makes him look up. He scrunches his eyes closed and then back open again, trying to get them to focus. He doesn’t like the feeling of losing control and so he doesn’t drink often, but tonight has been a rare occasion where he’s kept up with his friends. His brain feels fuzzy and his thoughts are muddled.

“Isn’t what obvious?” Wooseok’s voice comes out in a strange, high-pitched timbre and he’s not quite sure why. There’s something buried in his subconscious that’s quietly nagging at the back of his head. Something odd that’s making his pulse race.

“You,” Seungyoun sways in place as he points a finger at Wooseok, “might be good at Mario Kart, but you’re absolute crap at picking up on signals.”

Wooseok simply stares, unblinking, at the tip of his friend’s finger. He can instantly feel his fight or flight instincts kicking into high gear. He’s incredibly torn between wanting to press Seungyoun for clarification and wanting to immediately flee from the room. Despite his intoxicated state, he’s painfully aware that this feels like a major turning point. Everything is about to change and he’s not sober nor fast enough to figure out if that’s something he actually wants. And so, Seungyoun makes the decision for them both.

“Ah, screw it. Maybe you _ don’t _ see it. Or maybe you don’t _ want _to see it. I like you. There. I said it. I like you, even though you can be boring and rude and overconfident and sometimes dress like my grandma and cry when you’re watching dramas that aren’t even sad and-”

“Yah! Is this a confession or a roast?” Wooseok holds his hand up to silence Seungyoun. The entire situation is simultaneously so absurd and yet so natural that it’s making him feel a bit crazy. Is he dreaming? Is he even more drunk than he realized? Reality seems to be a foreign concept in the moment and he doesn’t even know how to react. However, he’s feeling surprisingly calm, but he’s pretty sure that’s just the effects of the alcohol.

“Both.” Seungyoun grins and wiggles his eyebrows. And then he starts moving in, leaning closer and invading Wooseok’s personal space. Again, Wooseok feels unequipped to handle the unfolding situation in his current state of mind. He doesn’t pull away, but his mouth goes dry and his stomach flips. Is he going to be sick? He isn’t quite sure. His head is spinning and he’s regretting now more than ever that he drank so much. None of this even feels real. Words start forming and he can’t seem to stop them. Forbidden words. Buried words. 

“Seungyoun, I-”

“Ah, the beer is gone. The whole house is dry. Time to make our exit!” Hangyul and Seungwoo return, leaning on each other in the doorway. If they notice how close Wooseok and Seungyoun are currently pressed together, they definitely don’t react. Immediately, as though he’s just been caught doing something wrong, Wooseok stands, the speed of the movement making the room tilt and his head throb. His heart is hammering away in his chest.

“Let’s go,” he agrees quickly, turning to shake Yohan awake.

They slowly and loudly make their way back to the dorms. Wooseok spends the entire time practically carrying Yohan across campus while the other three sing ‘Me After You’ dramatically off-key at the top of their lungs. There’s a 50/50 chance that the campus police will show up to scold them at any given moment, but Wooseok is too distracted by his own thoughts to care, let alone reprimand them himself. When they reach the split, they say their goodbyes - Hangyul, Seungwoo and Seungyoun heading off to Quad 2 while Wooseok and a stumbling Yohan go off to Quad 1. There’s nothing abnormal about their parting. Nothing feels different. It makes Wooseok question if maybe he just imagined the whole thing as a part of some bizarre, alcohol-induced hallucination. He decides that the best course of action is to just forget it all happened, if it even really happened at all. But after convincing Yohan to get down a few glasses of water and then escorting him safely to his room, Wooseok finds himself laying in his own bed, staring at the ceiling, unable to quiet his racing thoughts. 

* * *

The blaring alarm tone feels like being stabbed in the temple with an icepick. Wooseok groans and paws at his nightstand, trying to silence the offending noise. Eventually, he finds the button, but the damage is already done. He pulls back his blankets and sits up in bed, clutching at the sides of his head. His tongue feels sticky and gross. His eyes are heavy and crusted. They’re the telltale symptoms of a hangover. They’re the physical manifestations of regret.

The memories instantly begin to piece together in his mind, forming an imperfect picture of the previous night. He can remember Yohan literally forcing him to get dressed and then dragging him out to the party. He can remember the first beer and then the second. He can remember Hangyul challenging anyone within earshot to a pushups competition. He can remember Seungwoo being cornered and chatted up by every single girl, and half the guys, in attendance. He can remember Seungyoun, pressing close; too close. Close enough for Wooseok to smell the beer on his breath and the hint of floral cologne on his neck.

A jolt of adrenaline dances up his spine and he finds himself kicking the covers off in frustration. Despite being at his most intoxicated during that part of the night, that vision seems to be the most clear and detailed. It annoys him.

He grabs a bath towel, tossing it over his shoulder as he leaves his room. He tries to pad quietly towards the kitchen on his toes, not wanting to wake Yohan, but when he passes through the threshold he’s only half-surprised to find his roommate already awake and retrieving a bowl from the dish drainer. Yohan seems immune to hangovers, a talent Wooseok very much does not possess.

“Good morning, sunshine!” Yohan greets him cheerfully - too cheerfully - and Wooseok winces as his head pounds in retaliation.

“Morning,” Wooseok returns flatly, collapsing down into a chair at the kitchen table. He crosses his arms on the tabletop and rests his head against them. His mind is still spinning and that just won’t do. He’s not good at dwelling on these types of situations. It makes him feel anxious and uneasy - two emotions he has no use for.

Despite the fact that Wooseok is clearly suffering, Yohan immediately starts chattering on loudly about... something. Wooseok isn’t listening. His attention is turned inward as his mind attempts to make sense of what transpired last night. But can he even really trust his own memory? Can he be completely sure any of it actually happened? He slowly lifts his head and waves his hand out at Yohan, cutting him off mid-sentence.

“Yeah, but hey... what do you remember about last night?”

Yohan pauses and tilts his head thoughtfully. It’s only for a few seconds, but to Wooseok the silence seems to stretch on forever. His stomach flips with anxiousness and anticipation.

“I don’t know? Everything, I guess?”

“Everything?” Wooseok sits up straighter in his chair. Despite the memory of his conversation with Seungyoun being so fresh and vivid in his mind, perhaps if Yohan denies any knowledge of the occurrence he can pretend it really was just a strange hallucination. Maybe someone spiked his drink. Maybe he’s finally gone legitimately crazy.

“WelI, I remember you kicking my ass at Mario Kart twice in a row.” Yohan crosses the small kitchen and retrieves a box of cereal from the cabinet.

“And?”

“Uhh… I remember Seungwoo hiding in the bathroom from that crazy chick who kept following him around at the beginning of the night.”

“Right, right. What else?” Wooseok tries to keep the impatience from his voice, but he can feel it creep into his words.

“Hmm. Uh, I remember Seungyoun….” Yohan’s voice becomes muffled as he bends down into the refrigerator to retrieve the carton of milk. Wooseok leans closer, almost falling off his chair as he strains to hear. “... taking off his shirt and dancing to Love Shot on top of the pool table.”

“Oh. Yeah.” Wooseok slumps back down in his seat feeling silly. At worst, maybe it was all just a misunderstanding. Or one of Seungyoun’s many ridiculous pranks.

Yohan whistles as he completes preparing his bowl of cereal and then hops up onto the counter, swinging his legs from side to side as he pokes at his cornflakes with his spoon.

With a sigh, Wooseok stands and starts to leave. A cold shower will do wonders for his physical _ and _ mental state. There’s a biochem paper to start and six chapters of a psychology textbook to read, so he really doesn’t have time to continue dwelling on ridiculous, unreliable memories and ‘what ifs’.

“Oh, huh...” There’s something mischievous about Yohan’s voice that makes Wooseok freeze in place. “...and I remember Seungyoun confessing that he’s in love with you, or something.” He stuffs a spoonful of cereal into his mouth and grins, as Wooseok takes a sharp, deep breath.

Slowly, Wooseok spins on his heels, his eyes narrowed and flashing fire. Yohan chews slowly, his shoulders shaking, clearly trying to hold back a burst of laughter.

“You were _ awake _,” Wooseok hisses through gritted teeth.

“It was hard not to be. What with you guys bouncing the bed so much.”

Wooseok can feel his face go red hot. The flush of embarrassment instantly spreads across his cheeks and forehead.

“I- We weren’t-,” he stammers, trying to find coherent words. His brain feels scrambled. He wonders if it’s possible he’s still drunk. “Yah! He didn’t say he was _ in love _ with me. He said he _ liked _me.”

Yohan chuckles and shakes his head, spooning more cereal into his mouth.

“Wow. He was right. You really _ are _bad at picking up on signals.”

Wooseok can feel his nostrils flare with anger and self-consciousness. There’s also the tingle of something else there lurking beneath the surface, but it’s the subtle, ghost of a feeling. Right now, he just wants to disappear into the floor and escape this entire conversation. Of course, he knows, logically, that he shouldn’t be feeling this way. Even if what Yohan says is true, it’s still just Yohan. His roommate. His best friend.

“You heard all of it?!” Wooseok asks with a sigh. He retreats back into the kitchen, moving to stand near the counter where Yohan still sits.

“Dude, I was passed out, not dead. And you guys weren’t exactly whispering.”

“Well, maybe he just meant as a friend?”

“As your friend… and I say this with all the love and affection, but… we _ tolerate _ you at best.”

Yohan breaks out into a loud burst of laughter as Wooseok snatches the spoon out of his hand. He scoops himself a massive amount of cereal and jams it into his mouth before Yohan can begin to protest. But then almost immediately, he scrunches up his nose in disgust.

“It’s so soggy,” he groans, mouth full as he tries to swallow it down. “How do you like it like this?”

He tosses the spoon down on the counter with a clatter and shakes his head before storming out of the kitchen, his mind spinning.

* * *

The days are busy as the week stretches out, filled with lectures and papers and lots of instant ramen. Wooseok is thankful for the distractions, though he still often finds his mind wandering back to _ that _night. When the guys all decide to meet up for an impromptu lunch between their classes, Wooseok bows out, claiming he has to use the time to study for a quiz. He’s not exactly lying, but he knows that he could do both if he really wanted to. It’s not that he’s being avoidant, but rather that he’s preparing. He needs to wrap his head around not only Seungyoun’s feelings, but also his own before he can decide what to do next. How does he act? What does he say? Yohan thinks he’s being ridiculous. He says nothing has changed and Seungyoun doesn’t seem to be nearly as affected, if he even remembers at all.

But, the truth is a bit more complicated, especially for someone like Wooseok. The things he wants always follow a logical determination. They make sense. And so seeing Seungyoun as anything more than a good friend just wasn’t ever in the cards. Until suddenly it was. The mere existence of this simple possibility throws Wooseok’s life into chaos. Although he goes about his normal routine just the same as always, on the inside he’s all twisted up. He just can’t stop thinking about it and it’s driving him mad.

* * *

Wooseok is at the library on Friday afternoon, staring blankly down into his psychology textbook and trying desperately to focus on absorbing the information without distraction. His phone has been buzzing on and off for the past hour, but he’s committed to studying without breaks until 4. When he finally reaches his self-imposed goal, he slouches back in his chair and sighs. He doesn’t feel like he’s made any progress. His mind is just too unfocused.

He slides his phone out of his pocket and scrolls through the various notifications and alerts, finding lots of activity from his group chat with the guys.

> _**Seungwoo:** karaoke tonight?_
> 
> _**Hangyul:** yessssss let’s grab dinner before hand too_
> 
> _**Seungwoo:** thought you were on a diet?_
> 
> _**Hangyul:** i am. just not on the weekends_
> 
> _**Seungyoun:** friday is a weekDAY you idiot_
> 
> _**Hangyul:** wrong. It’s definitely considered part of the weekend._
> 
> _**Yohan:** why are you even dieting? When did this start? _(￣_￣)・・・_  
_
> 
> _**Seungwoo:** he saw me getting out of the showers yesterday after we went to the gym. Suddenly he’s on a diet…_
> 
> _**Hangyul:** can’t a guy just wanna live a healthy lifestyle?_
> 
> _**Seungyoun:** so you’re cutting out alcohol too?_
> 
> _**Hangyul:** let’s not get crazy_
> 
> _**Yohan:** i vote we go for spicy noodles _＼(≧▽≦)／_  
_
> 
> _**Hangyul:** im out._
> 
> _**Seungyoun:** i’m in._
> 
> _**Seungwoo:** pizza?_
> 
> _**Hangyul:** i’m back in_
> 
> _**Yohan:** fine. _╮(︶︿︶)╭_ meet on J street at 7?_

Wooseok sighs and taps his fingers across the screen’s keyboard.

_I’m in. Unless you freaks are going to insist on getting pineapple again._

He slides his phone back into his pocket and begins to collect his things, shoving his books and papers into his messenger bag. He’s tired of overthinking things. He’s tired of wrestling with his thoughts. The idea of meeting up doesn’t make him nervous or anxious because it shouldn’t. They’ve all been best friends for years. They’ve been there for each other through the highs and the lows, through things much more meaningful and emotionally exhausting than this stupid little situation. They were all there when Wooseok’s mom passed away unexpectedly, spending an entire week crowded into his childhood bedroom just to be there for him. They were there when Hangyul tore his ACL and lost his baseball scholarship, spending hours by his bedside and cheering him on through rehab. They were there through break ups and failed finals and fights with family members. When Seungwoo refused to return to a toxic home for the summer after freshman year, he stayed with each of them for a few weeks at a time until the semester started up again. They’re a unit. A found family. And Seungyoun is a major part of the bond that holds them all together.

Seungyoun is always the first to offer a smile or to pull you into a smothering hug, even if you don’t want it. He always displays his emotions openly, without hesitation. When he’s sad, he’ll cry. When he’s happy, he’ll laugh. There is no pretense. He’s the first to reach out or check up on you if he senses you’re in a bad place. He’ll make a stupid, silly joke, usually at his own expense, if he thinks it might cheer you up. He’s loud and competitive and never seems to run out of energy. He’s charismatic and amiable and able to befriend an entire room of strangers within fifteen minutes. He’s a lot of things that Wooseok is not; a lot of things that Wooseok secretly admires. These revelations are not new to Wooseok, but in this moment they feel different, somehow.

With a huff, he slings his bag over his shoulder and leaves the library, heading back to the dorms to get ready for the night out. As he walks, he realizes that for the first time all week his thoughts have gone quiet.

* * *

“Yah! We gotta get going!” 

Yohan pounds a fist against the bathroom door as he walks by, but Wooseok ignores it. There’s no need to rush. Experience tells him that a 7pm meet up time is more of a suggestion than a hard set rule when it comes to this group.

As it stands, he is ready. He’s been ready for a good half hour, actually, but for some reason he’s having a hard time leaving the bathroom. He stands at the sink, staring thoughtfully at his own reflection in the mirror, wondering what happens next. He hasn’t physically crossed paths with Seungyoun since the night of the party, though there’s been plenty of texts, all of them of the normal, expected variety. Will their dynamic be different? Will Seungyoun even bring it up at all?

“I’m leaving in 2 minutes with or without you!” Yohan calls out.

Wooseok sighs, frustrated with himself for being so stupid. He flicks off the light and exits the bathroom, practically crashing into Yohan who is waiting right outside the door, arms crossed over his chest.

“You good?” he asks, and although his posture exudes impatience, his voice is tinged with concern.

“I’m fine. Let’s go.”

Yohan hesitates, blocking his way.

“Listen, I know why you’re feeling anxious, but you should know that none of this is brand new information to anyone but you. You really are terrible at picking up on signals. So don’t feel weird. Just be normal.”

Wooseok’s mouth goes dry and he can actually feel his heartbeat speed up. He knows that Yohan is coming from a good place, but he’s annoyed by his own lack of self control over his emotions. He swallows hard and shakes his head.

“I said I’m fine. Let’s go. You were just complaining we were going to be late.” 

Yohan cocks an eyebrow, studying him suspiciously, but eventually shrugs and concedes, leading the way out of the dorm.

As they walk, Wooseok is thankful for Yohan’s usual mindless chattering; the conversation serves as a good distraction. He doesn’t bring up the issue again and Wooseok is grateful for that as well. The destination isn’t far - just a few blocks, about 10 minutes on foot. When they reach the corner of J Street, Seungwoo, Hangyul and Seungyoun are already there - Seungwoo leaning against the street sign watching while Hangyul and Seungyoun seem to be animatedly arguing over… who knows what. As they approach, Wooseok feels his heart skip just the tiniest amount. It annoys him.

“Thank god,” Seungwoo says in greeting. “Save me.”

“You love us,” Hangyul retorts, releasing Seungyoun from a headlock.

When they come together, it’s natural and normal. Though, Wooseok can’t help it when his gaze lingers on Seungyoun expectantly, but there’s no reaction from Seungyoun beyond their usual, familiar interaction. It makes him feel strange.

The evening is filled with their usual banter, including an argument over pizza toppings that’s ultimately decided by an arm wrestling competition. The flow of the group is comfortable. It makes Wooseok feel at ease, but also a bit… disappointed? He’s not quite sure exactly what nuanced emotion he’s feeling, but he’s definitely a little confused. If Yohan hadn’t confirmed the existence of the conversation, he’d be convinced that the confession from Seungyoun had never actually happened. Frustration is making him feel bold and so when it’s time to pay and Seungyoun starts collecting their money, Wooseok also stands up from the booth, following him up to the cashier at the front counter.

“Hey, so, about the party,” Wooseok starts, surprised to find his voice wavering slightly.

“Last weekend?” Seungyoun is looking down, counting out change in his palm.

“Uh, yeah. Do you remember everything?”

Seungyoun looks up and narrows his eyes. Wooseok’s heart skips a beat and he anxiously picks at the hem of his shirt.

“Are you really about to start bragging about beating me at Mario Kart? Aye, just wait for the rematch, buddy.”

“I-...what? No?” Wooseok stammers, completely caught off guard by the direction the conversation is taking.

“I’m telling you, that controller was messed up or something! And I was drunk!”

Wooseok stands there, mouth gaping, unable to form a coherent sentence. How is it possible that Seungyoun finds _ that _the most important detail from the night?

“I’m not talking about Mario Kart,” Wooseok manages to spit out, feeling bewildered. “Do you remember anything else?”

Seungyoun hands over the money to the cashier, shifting his weight to one hip as he considers the question. To Wooseok, the hesitation is agonizing.

“Uh, I remember finding Seungwoo hiding out in the bathroom?” he laughs and shakes his head. “Hangyul says I danced on the pool table, but I don’t remember it. Did I look good? I did, didn’t I?”

Wooseok can feel the tips of his ears burning, but he rolls his eyes and makes a dramatic sound of disgust in his throat. His brain is trying to quickly reconcile the fact that Seungyoun clearly has no memory of the confession. He waits for the feeling of relief to set in, but oddly, it doesn’t come.

The rest of the night carries on without incident. There’s beer and laughing and ridiculous duets. Wooseok is slightly distracted, but he’s usually the most subdued of the group anyway so none of them seem to particularly notice. No one talks about the previous weekend or the confession or anything out of the ordinary. It seems that the party is a thing of the past, a generic outing with no exceptional significance. Not to anyone other than Wooseok, at least.

They walk back to the dorms around midnight, parting as usual at the split between Quad 1 and 2. Alone now with just Yohan, Wooseok clears his throat, his hands clenched into fists at his sides.

“He doesn’t remember,” Wooseok says, looking down at his feet. “I mean, if he does, he’s pretending not to, but that doesn’t seem like him.”

“Yeah, he’s not a very good actor,” Yohan agrees.

“So, I guess that’s that. Unless this is some kind of prank the two of you are in on.” Wooseok’s eyes flash up, cold and accusatory.

Yohan holds his hands up in a display of innocence.

“I swear, we’re not.”

Wooseok nods and sighs, leaning against him as they walk.

“I guess this is a good thing. I can just forget it happened and things can go back to normal.”

“You can...” Yohan throws an arm around Wooseoks neck, patting his shoulder. “If that’s what you really want.” 

The rest of the walk back to their dorm is silent, but inwardly, Wooseok’s mind is shouting. What _ does _ he want? The answer is stark and clear, but he’s been refusing to see it. He’s been playing dumb and trying to fool himself. Tonight should have been a relief, but he’s plagued with disappointment. He’s tired of feeling this way. He’s tired of this strange lack of confidence. And so he makes a decision.

* * *

“Hey, we’re having game night here.”

Wooseok is sitting on his bed, surrounded by textbooks and post-it notes, typing away on his laptop when Yohan appears in the doorway. He simply nods and waves him off, barely looking up to acknowledge his presence. But after he leaves, Wooseok’s fingers freeze on the keyboard and he sighs heavily. He saves the document and clicks his laptop closed. He knows he won’t be able to focus on schoolwork anymore this afternoon. Despite this being an extremely common get together for them, this time it will be different. 

Wooseok busies himself with other things - mindless activities like laundry and organizing his room. It’s a way to pass the time, though it still creeps by painfully slow. It feels like the clock isn’t moving, despite going through the motions for what feels like hours.

At 8, there’s a loud knock at their dorm door and Wooseok practically runs out of his room to answer it, adrenaline adding extra spring to his step. It’s Seungwoo, though right behind him come Hangyul and Seungyoun barreling down the hall. Hangyul is balancing a case of beer up on his shoulder while fighting off Seungyoun who keeps attempting to poke him in the side. Wooseok pretends to shut the door on them, but they bust through and the dorm immediately becomes loud and lively.

For awhile, they munch on snacks and bullshit and generally just enjoy the chaos of each other’s company. On the surface, there’s nothing unique or spectacular about the get together, but internally, Wooseok is tense and observant, waiting for the right time or a good opening. Since making up his mind, he hasn’t wavered. It isn’t like him to second guess himself and he’s already wasted too much time doing that over the past week.

So, when they finally start to claim their places in the living room and Yohan pulls out the gaming console, Wooseok is ready to make his move, in the same cool, confident manner that he normally approaches everything. He nudges Yohan to the side and grabs both controllers. He pauses, crouched down in front of the tv, and takes a deep, steadying breath.

Yohan squints over at him curiously and tilts his head, a small smile of encouragement starting to form as he begins to connect the dots. It still shocks Wooseok how well Yohan knows him. He claps him gently on the back and nods.

“Alright, kids.” Wooseok stands and twists around to address the other guys. “The game is Mario Kart. But, let’s make it more interesting.”

“Strip Mario Kart?” Hangyul suggests from the couch. Seungwoo groans and kicks up him from his place on the floor.

“Uh, no.” Now that the moment has arrived, Wooseok can feel the buzz of adrenaline coursing through his veins. Whatever happens next, he knows it will be fine. The bond the boys in this room share is unbreakable and unconditional. At worst, it will be just another thing they affectionately make fun of him for. If it goes south, he can play it off, and he knows they’ll let him.

Wooseok takes a deep breath before tossing Seungyoun a controller and then plopping down on the floor next to him, holding the other.

“The stakes.” He turns to face Seungyoun. He can hear his pulse pounding in his ears, but he keeps his voice level and full of confidence. “If I win, you take me out. Properly. Somewhere nice. If I lose, you take me out. Properly. Somewhere nice.”

“Wait those are the same-” Yohan throws a pillow across the room at Hangyul, silencing him.

Seungyoun slowly picks up the controller and then looks at Wooseok, tilting his head. Wooseok simply stares back, hoping his expression communicates his seriousness. Seungyoun cocks an eyebrow as his lips break out into a wide grin. He tosses his head back and laughs warmly before his eyes move to each one of the other boys. Wooseok notices the suspicion clearly in his gaze. He chuckles to himself, realizing that Seungyoun really, truly has no memory of the confession. He also realizes that perhaps he _ has _been quite oblivious and now he’s finally privy to a secret that has been shared between the rest of them for some time.

“Alright, you’re on.” Seungyoun says, setting his fingers properly on the buttons of the controller. “And I’m not going easy on you like last time.”

Wooseok smiles. In the background, the boys start loudly making side bets on who will win, seeming completely unphased by the bigger implications. Just as he expected.

“I hope you won’t, “Wooseok says, bumping his shoulder against Seungyoun's. “You know I like a challenge.”


End file.
